Sailing technology has existed for millennia and there are numerous variations on sailboat rudders. More specifically, there exist numerous sailboat rudders that are retractable in nature.
Retractable rudders are useful for passing a boat through shallow water in order to prevent the rudder from running aground and being damaged. Alternatively, if a rudder is retractable and it accidentally strikes a surface under water, the rudder may release upward from the downward position so that it is not damaged. Retractable rudders also enable the operator of the craft to lift the rudder from under the stern in order to place the boat on a trailer.
Often the design of such retractable rudders requires that the rudder be attached to a rope or other retraction means for manually retracting the rudder. In order to retract the rudder, the rope must be pulled and the rudder lifted from the water. This type of design is problematic for a number of reasons. The first reason being that the rudders are usually heavy and require significant strength and attention from the operator or crew of the sailboat to retract the rudder. Retracting the rudder may distract the operator or crew of the boat from other important duties or events occurring in the craft. A second reason that a conventional retractable rudder is problematic is that once the rudder is retracted it must be tied off or cleated so that it remains in the retracted position and does not drop back into the water. Cleating a retractable rudder takes additional time, effort, and attention of the operator or crew of the boat. Additionally, if a rudder is cleated and an urgent need for control of the craft arises, it takes a significant amount of time and effort to release the rudder back into the water. Due to the often rapid pace of events in a moving sailboat, any time saved may be crucial in preventing catastrophic errors.
Other retractable rudders that are known to the art are designed so if the sailboat runs into shallow water or the rudder strikes an underwater object, the rudder will kick up. However, this design may be problematic if the rudder is held by a friction mounting. A friction mounting allows a rudder that strikes an underwater object to yield to the underwater object, but the rudder will remain in a displaced or elevated position above or near the surface of the water. In order to move the rudder back into the water, an operator or crew member on the sailboat must manually push the rudder back into the water. This takes time and strength that may be needed in the craft. Additionally, if the rudder is stuck in an elevated position above or at the surface of the water the sailboat will have little or no control. A second problem may arise if the rudder is extended to the rearward from the transom or stern of the craft. In such a case, an increased amount of force is placed on the rudder mounting and the tiller arm when the rudder is in this position. If the rudder strikes an object or control of the boat is attempted with the rudder extended horizontally on the surface of the water, the force exerted on the rudder mounting may be great enough to tear the mounting from the transom of the sailboat or cause the tiller arm to fracture. Either of these events may cause catastrophic consequences because of loss of control of the sailboat.